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West Kelowna  

Wildfire human caused

UPDATE: 10:20 p.m.

Fire investigators believe the blaze in Glen Canyon was human caused, but they will continue their probe Friday. 

West Kelowna fire crews, along with assistance from the BC Wildfire Service, were able to keep the Thursday afternoon blaze to a size of 15 metres by 30 metres, and quickly knocked down the flames. 

The fire was just 300 metres from another blaze the day before

A total of 22 firefighters attended the scene Thursday. 


UPDATE: 7:40 p.m.

The Glenrosa fire is out, having been doused with fire-retardent foam.


UPDATE: 5:55 p.m.

The fire in Glenrosa appears to be well under control.

Castanet's Nich Johansen says from the scene that fire crews have set up a sprinkler type hose to soak the area, and the level of urgency seems to have calmed down.

Police have taped off the area, although there is no word on whether the fire is suspicious in nature or if it may have been intentionally set.

Without lightning in the area, it is almost certainly man-caused.


UPDATE: 5:45 p.m.

Some residents were asked to temporarily leave their homes in the area of a small wildfire burning in the Glenrosa area.

Norma Marton said she could see flames from her home, and they were growing fast in the Glen Canyon trails area.

"We looked out ... and the flames were just up the trail, and it was really taking off," she said.

The fire is burning in a canyon area surrounded by homes and agricultural properties.

The trail network runs all the way down to Gellatly Bay, and Marton said the fire appeared to be about 10 by 10 feet in size before she left for safer ground.

She and her husband said the park has had an almost daily problem of people ignoring a trail closure put in place due to the extreme fire hazard.

"We've had such a problem with people not staying out of the area," she said.


UPDATE: 5:25 p.m.

A fire in a rugged canyon in Glenrosa is about two blocks farther uphill from Wednesday's small spot fire.

A Castanet news chaser at the scene says it is not in the same spot that flames broke out 24 hours ago.

High tension power lines are above the area, and the amount of smoke is increasing, which may make any aerial attack on the fire difficult.

No aircraft are on scene at the moment, though West Kelowna firefighters have arrived and were hiking into the canyon.


ORIGINAL: 5:15 p.m.

Castanet is receiving reports of smoke and possible fire in the Glenrosa area of West Kelowna.

Fire is reported in steep terrain off Dunbarton and Aberdeen roads.

A reporter is headed to the scene.

The fire comes only one day after another small spot fire in the same area of Powers Creek Canyon.

It's not yet known if this is a flare-up of the same fire.

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